


Tokyo stray cats

by fromthefarshore



Series: bits and pieces of us [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Cat Cafés, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Post-High School, mentions of bokuaka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-11 10:20:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7887472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthefarshore/pseuds/fromthefarshore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroo, working at a cat cafe, jokingly tells Bokuto that if he ever loves anyone as much as he loves cats, Bokuto should make him date that person.<br/>He can't stop thinking about it.<br/>(can be read separately)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is the result of Haikyuu Summer Big Bang 2016 project and it's been so much fun to work on it! I got the best team for it: a wonderful beta [Hao](https://sheepouttetradecagon.tumblr.com/), and amazing artists [Ollie](http://http://ollypuro.tumblr.com/) and [Vicky](http://http://ushijima-wakatoshi.tumblr.com/)! Hao helped me so much with the story that I still don't know how to thank her enough for it. [edit] I was extremely happy that _two_ artists claimed my fic, but sadly, because of some issues their works couldn't be submitted.  
>  This Cat cafe AU that was my little plan has turned into quite a big project, and I want to thank you so much for being part of it.  
> EDIT: Amazing [Amalas](https://amalasdraws.tumblr.com/) drew this wonderfully beautiful [Kuroo](http://amalasdraws.tumblr.com/post/150924416433/for-fromthefarshore-and-your-kuroken-fic-for) with a cat! It made me incredibly happy, thank you very much!*hugs*
> 
> I hope everyone who decides to check it out will enjoy it!
> 
> P.S.: There is no need to read part 1 of the series. It's Kuroo's side story that simply happens throughout the same period of time as Bokuaka's story.  
> P.P.S.: **warning** (and a little spoiler?)! I know some people don't like Kuroo calling Kenma "kitten". The only usage of it here will be as a simple nickname (not directed at Kenma himself) until Kuroo learns Kenma's name.

Kuroo says goodbye to the last customers leaving the cat cafe and starts getting ready for closing _Nekoma_ for the night. The bright lights outside the window scream of lively evening, but it's calm inside, and Kuroo lets himself bath in the peaceful silence. 

Most of the cats are already dozing off in their usual places, and Kuroo reaches for the iPad to take a few photos. He looks at Kin-chan, a black cat with golden eyes, his short fur glistening in the light as he slowly makes his way to Natsu, a beautiful delicate cat, her white lithe form a contrast to Kin-chan's broader one, and snuggles against her. Natsu glances at Kin-chan, then tilts her head, sticking out her tongue and licking Kin-chan's ear. 

It's too cute and Kuroo silently groans to himself, hiding his face behind his iPad as he takes a photo. He adds the caption "Cat love is the best love. Good night!" and posts it on _Nekoma_ 's twitter account. He looks at the instant notifications, and smiles at the number of people who like cats. Kuroo feels a bit proud and accomplished every time he tweets cat photos, as it seems these simple posts make a lot of people happy. Kin-chan purrs as if he's heard Kuroo's thoughts, and lets out a short, silent meow. Kuroo decides it's his complain that Kuroo shouldn't take all the glory for good deeds. He reaches for Kin-chan and gently pats his nose with his finger. 

"You're the star here, of course you are," he comments silently. 

When he looks back at the iPad's screen, there's a retweet from Bokuto, and after a few seconds Kuroo hears his phone beep from where he placed it on the counter after everyone left. 

_[HEY HEY HEY 22:06] >> your updates are really cute but CONTROL UR EMOTIONS_ __

_[HEY HEY HEY 22:06] >> cat love is the best love _ __

_[HEY HEY HEY 22:06] >> my love is the best love excuse u_ __

[22:07]  << dont be jealous of cats bokuto 

_[HEY HEY HEY 22:07] >> no wonder your relationships never last_ __

_[HEY HEY HEY 22:07] >> pro tip: try giving someone as much attention as you give to the cats IT WILL WORK OUT_ __

[22:08]  << first gotta find someone worth that attention 

Kuroo snorts at the silly sticker from the anime Bokuto's been babbling about for a few days already, and puts the phone away, going to pick up all the toys from the floor. He doesn't rush; he likes spending time in the cat café, and working the evening shift is his favourite time. It's nice when all the people leave and the cats get ready to sleep, cuddling with each other. Sometimes Kuroo wonders if he could secretly stay the night here, surrounded by warmth of cats and the sound of their sweet purring. He shakes his head at the thought. Being with the cats is slightly addicting, and as much as Kuroo can't find the strength to draw back, he can still stop himself from becoming a hundred-percent 'Cat Lady' which is what Bokuto calls him at times. 

Kuroo pets a little fluffy kitten named Momo - Bokuto's favourite - and sits on the floor, taking a deep breath. He remembers the conversation he had with Bokuto in this same cafe just a couple of days ago. He told Bokuto to make him date a person that he loves as much as all these cats. It was kind of a joke. It just slipped off his tongue after Bokuto asked Kuroo to make him date a person he talks about the way he talks about his favourite fictional characters. After voicing it out though, Kuroo realised that he actually wants that to happen. He wants to find someone to love, someone he would treat like no one did before. He wishes to be like Kin-chan and Natsu that are snuggling together, caring for each other. It makes him feel like his grandmother who often talked about finding the person you belong with. She used to tell little Tetsurou that one day he would surely find a person he wanted to spend his lifetime with, and up until now Kuroo remembers those tender words. He lets out a soft laugh at the memory and rubs his temples. It takes him a few more moments to finally get back on his feet and finish cleaning around. 

It's well past ten when he exits the cafe, running down the stairs into the night. The humidity and warmth hit his face and a little shudder runs through his body at the change of temperature. The smell of rain is lingering in the air, and Kuroo remembers it has rained a while ago. Yawning, he considers taking the train for a moment, but decides to walk instead. 

It takes him almost half an hour as he doesn't hurry, letting his thoughts float around in his mind, letting himself get lost there while he has some time alone. The streets are still full of people even at such late hour, but it's quiet as everyone simply walks alone, minding their own business. 

There's a catchy song playing when Kuroo walks past a karaoke bar and the door opens. The song gets stuck in his head, and when he reaches smaller streets, he mindlessly starts to hum it. He thinks that maybe he should try to talk with Terushima from the volleyball club to organise a mixer. Those things never really work for Kuroo as Terushima usually invites mainly girls, and as much as Kuroo finds them nice and lovely, they've never attracted him the way guys do. Nevertheless, maybe this time Terushima could invite someone for Kuroo too. 

Kuroo snorts to himself at this naïve thought, but ever since the conversation with Bokuto, he can't stop thinking that he wants that someone who he'd really love. He's still young, barely nineteen, he reminds to himself, and he's got time. However, Kuroo also knows that there is a high probability that his special someone won't appear out of nowhere and he has to actually _find_ them. He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it all out, his thoughts drifting to Konoha and his habit of smoking. He wonders if that'd keep his mind off thinking, but the idea makes him scrunch his nose and so he drops it, instead choosing to buy a box of strawberry chocolates when he comes by a convenience store. 

Bokuto is already home when Kuroo comes back. Kuroo can hear some ridiculous song coming from the room and soon he finds Bokuto sprawled on the floor between their beds. His body is at a weird angle as he tries to fit in the small space, but it seems to work for him. He looks up from his laptop and gives Kuroo a little smile, followed by a greeting. 

"So I've been thinking, I don't really want to organise a party for my birthday or anything. Konoha wouldn't be able to come because of that seminar trip he has, Suzumeda is still not back from travelling in Europe and Daichi's planning to stay in Miyagi until the semester starts, so I don't wanna make him come here just for my birthday." 

Kuroo hums, plopping down on the bed. 

"Fair enough," he says, "but then the two of us will do something big for it". He snaps his fingers, his eyes widening at the idea, "We should go to a host club!" 

" _No way_!" Bokuto sits up, straightening his back and glaring at Kuroo, "It'd be too embarrassing. I'm never going there." 

"No one's asking, it'll be my birthday gift for you." Kuroo winks and Bokuto groans. 

"Can we even get in if we're not twenty yet?" 

Kuroo shrugs and falls back on the bed, looking at the ceiling. 

"Leave it to me, I'll check everything," he says, letting out a laugh when Bokuto sighs heavily. 

The chilly air from air conditioner leaves goose bumps on his arms and a little shudder runs through his body. He wishes they had a cat he could hug for warmth right now. 

\- 

They never go to a host club. Instead, they end up at butler cafe, and Kuroo's not sure if that was for the better or for the worse as his life gets a whole lot more complicated after it. He thinks that after all, Tokyo is small or maybe it's just some kind of funny play the gods enjoy playing as Bokuto lands a crush on their butler. Kuroo can't blame him as the guy is worth the attention. He's beautiful; tall, with short black hair and dark green eyes. His voice is pleasant to listen to and the way he behaves, even though it's part of his job, is fascinating. This is where the "funny" part comes though. Apparently that guy is Akaashi Keiji who, Kuroo groans at the thought as he hits his head on the desk, is the same Akaashi that is Konoha's friend. Friend _with benefits_. Moreover, even though Konoha encourages Bokuto to try things out with Akaashi, since there are no feelings between them, Bokuto thinks he can't ruin Konoha and Akaashi's relationship. It's frustrating to watch them. 

Kuroo groans again and straightens up, looking down at his notebook and unfinished homework. This whole thing reminds him of what Bokuto told him before about fictional characters and love. The chances might be slim, but Kuroo thinks that maybe Akaashi is like Bokuto's favourite characters, except he's real. It also makes him remember his own words, and the idea of finding someone he'd really love gets back on his mind. If Bokuto has to go through such things, is something similar waiting for Kuroo if he meets a person who he loves more than cats? 

He sighs and stands up, gathering his books and notes, and heads to the gym. Maybe a bit of volleyball can clear his mind. 

\- 

Kuroo loves taking care of cats at the cafe and simply looking at the fluffy creatures, but he also enjoys watching the people who come to _Nekoma_. He doesn't look at them the whole time, of course, but he knows all the regulars. He likes to see which cats they like the best and he keeps an eye out to see if they're enjoying the visit, sometimes bringing a cat to their lap, sometimes bringing the favourite toy of the cat they are playing with. He likes the regulars. He likes how much they love being surrounded by cats, he likes seeing the relaxed smile on their faces after spending time with the cute animals. He ends up talking a lot with visitors, too. There's a high school girl named Yachi that comes nearly every week to get refreshed after long hours of school. Kuroo always exchanges some words with her about their classes, sharing some studying tips and such. There's also an old man who has very narrows eyes and thin lips. It makes him look like a sleeping cat and Kuroo's always looking forward to seeing him once or twice a month and listening to his stories. Kuroo's not sure if the stories are true all the time, but he enjoys them nevertheless. There are others too, and Kuroo knows all of them. He's always updating the list in his head, but there are also a lot of people that come once or twice and disappear afterwards, leaving just a fading memory after themselves. 

It's the last days of September, the new semester just starting, when Kuroo sees another of those people who simply come to check the little cat cafe on their way to the station. It's a guy, perhaps a student of the university as he's not wearing the school uniform, but still looks rather young, probably around Kuroo's age. He doesn't seem very interested. Kuroo guesses that probably he had a bad day and _Nekoma_ looked good enough to let him rest in relaxing atmosphere. 

"Welcome," Kuroo says when the guy comes in, bending down to take off his shoes and change into slippers. 

"Hello," he says back with a little bow of his head and Kuroo opens the little fence gate that separates the entranceway from the main space where the cats are. The guy is slightly sluggish with his movements and his eyes wander to the cats at his feet while Kuroo tries to talk to him. 

"Is this your first visit here?" Kuroo asks, getting a nod in reply, and adds, "Please check the rules." He hands a laminated card and offers a little explanation of the rules himself as visitors tend not to read everything anyway, but he's not entirely sure the guy is listening. He seems really tired and lost in his own world, his rather big, nearly golden eyes hiding under almost half-closed eyelids. The guy looks up at Kuroo when he takes the little plastic case with the key of the locker and paper slip with the time he came in, and Kuroo smiles. It's an amusing and even slightly funny thought, but Kuroo thinks that this guy's face has a somewhat cattish look. His eyes are framed with thick dark eyelashes that make them stand out and together with his behaviour, he reminds Kuroo of a kitten. He wonders if this guy too will look like a sleeping cat when he gets old. 

The guy puts his stuff into the locker and walks to the wall where the posters introducing the cats are hung. The cat cafe is almost empty, the cats napping all over the place as it's barely afternoon. The sunlight is getting in through the window, colouring the room with warm hues and making it feel even cosier than usual. It's a pity that so little people come at this hour. There are only an old lady from the neighbourhood and the new guy, so Kuroo decides to watch the guy this time, even though he does look to be the type that doesn't plan to come back. 

He has his hair bleached to golden blond, but it has grown to his chin, black roots making Kuroo guess the guy's not trying to keep the look. At first, he goes around the cafe, petting the cats and taking some photos of them. A little smile appears on his face whenever the cats respond to his touch by purring or trying to catch his fingers with their paws, and Kuroo has to withhold a beam himself. The "kitten" guy goes to get a drink from vending machine after some time, and settles at the table next to Natsu sleeping on the other chair. He reaches out his arm to softly rub her behind the ears, his lips curling into a smile before he opens one of the notebooks scattered on the table and begins to doodle something there. 

It piques Kin-chan's interest and the cat jumps up on the table. He sniffs the guy's blond hair that is now covering his face, and the guy tilts his head to look at Kin-chan. Kin-chan lets out a funny purr and takes a little step closer, touching the guy's nose with his own while sniffing him. 

The guy chuckles softly, raising his hand to slowly stroke Kin-chan's black fur and the cat lies down, closing his golden eyes in pleasure. 

Kuroo blinks a few times, furrowing his eyebrows. Kin-chan has been there the longest, and he's the most cunning one of all cats; he acts how he wants and some regulars jokingly call him "thug". He often jumps on visitors when they crouch or bend down so that he can easily get on the top of the lockers, and he rarely lets himself be pet, trying to bite or just walking away. 

But here he is, resting peacefully next to a stranger and letting himself be rubbed behind ears as if the guy is same as Natsu whom Kin-chan usually cuddles with. 

Kuroo's probably staring as the guy turns his head to look his way, their eyes meeting. Kuroo offers him a faint smile and the guy seems to get slightly flustered at it, but he beams back. 

"Kin-chan is really nice," he says in a hush, and Kuroo's not sure if he's saying it to him, to Kin-chan or to himself. It's cute how his voice sounds slightly uncertain when he's saying the name he's seen on the poster a little while ago. Kuroo moves his glance to the guy's thin fingers getting lost in short dark hair, and he's sure that Kin-chan has just become this guy's favourite cat here. He smiles a bit wider. 

"He seems to think the same about you," Kuroo says and he notices the guy trying to withhold a smile. 

Kuroo changes his mind. He thinks the guy will probably come back again. 

\- 

A little smile lights up Kuroo's face when after a couple of days he sees the "kitten" guy come to the cafe again. He settles onto the pillows on the floor, hugging his knees to his chest and watching the cats. It's a somewhat pleasant and calming sight. He doesn't look very tired this time. He fits in the cafe and it seems as if he's well used to it. Maybe he is, Kuroo thinks to himself. Maybe he often visits other cat cafes and he just came here for a change. Kuroo's thoughts drift to various scenarios about this guy and he tries to guess which places he went to before, comparing them to _Nekoma._

_Nekoma_ isn't very popular cat cafe. It's small and they don't serve lovely looking drinks or cakes with cute drawings on them. However, being a little café at a size of approximately two rooms, _Nekoma_ feels cosy. Kuroo has heard numerous customers say it and he thinks so himself - _Nekoma_ makes it feel like you're at home, like all the cats here are your cats. Most of the visitors here are regulars who are recognized by both staff and cats, and Kuroo wishes for it to stay like this forever. They let customers hold cats if the animals aren't against it, and there are always more cats than people inside, which is Kuroo's personal favourite thing. He wonders if that's what makes the blond guy come back in just a couple of days. Perhaps it is. Perhaps the "kitten" appreciates the same things as Kuroo and everyone who comes here regularly do, and he feels welcome here. 

Such an idea melts Kuroo's heart and he feels himself smile. From the corner of his eye, Kuroo glances at the guy. He mutters something to a dark and soft brown striped cat named Tora. Then, he takes out a gaming console and leans back. After a moment, a silent sound of the game fills in the cafe, but after a few clicks and a muttered apology later it gets back to silence. 

Kuroo goes to change the water in the bowls and takes Momo into his arms when the cat starts meowing at him. He carries him to the table, laying the kitten down on all the notebooks and photo albums there. The blond guy gives him a look, but doesn't say anything. Kuroo hums to himself, murmuring sweet nothings to Momo right afterwards to make it look as if the hum was also meant for the kitten. He's not sure why, but the guy's presence is somehow inviting. It's drawing Kuroo in, making him want to talk to the guy, and Kuroo goes through a list of phrases to start a conversation. However, he is interrupted right after he finally settles with a simple "It seems the rain is coming again." He hears the door open and sees Yachi come in. She smiles at him, changing into the slippers and petting Creampuff, a fluffy cat with creamy brown fur. 

"Welcome," Kuroo says, standing up and walking to the counter. Momo jumps off the table and follows him. 

"Oh, look at you following Kuroo anywhere he goes," Yachi says in a chirpy voice, squatting down to rub behind Momo's ears. She looks up at Kuroo and gives him a smile, "How are the things going?" 

Kuroo prints a paper slip with the time and hands her a key to the lockers with a shrug. "As usual. I got fewer classes this semester so I can work more shifts here. How's school?" 

"Makes me want to come play with the cats more than ever." She pouts and Kuroo lets out a silent laugh. 

"I remember the feel. But you'll manage, I'm sure," he says, getting a nod in reply. 

"I'll do my best," Yachi promises more to herself than Kuroo and excuses herself to go put her bag in the locker. Kuroo uses the opportunity to look at the guy. He seems to have his game paused, wiggling his socked toes as Kin-chan peeks at him from behind a cat-sized tent, fidgeting as he's waiting for the opportunity to leap at the moving object. 

"Would you like to hold him?" Kuroo asks, smiling at the guy, and adds, "He might run off but he seems interested in what you are doing." 

The guy looks at him, then at Kin-chan and back to Kuroo again. 

"Can I?" 

His voice is silent, more of a whisper. He's calm and composed, his blond hair suddenly making Kuroo compare him to Yachi who also has her hair bleached. That seems to be about the only thing they have in common, and Kuroo suppresses a chuckle. He still remembers the first times Yachi came to _Nekoma_ . She was nervous and awkward at first, jumping at anything Kuroo told her, but replying eagerly. She would go on rambling after a few exchanged words and secretly Kuroo thought it cute. It was always nice to talk with the girl, be it about cats, the weather or studies. But this guy doesn't seem to be the type to get into casual conversation with strangers. He only speaks up when needed, using short sentences as if talking more than absolutely necessary would tire him out. There's not much emotion in his voice and it makes it hard to guess his character, however it sounds nice to Kuroo's ears. He finds himself thinking he'd like to hear more of it. 

Kuroo bends down to gently take the black cat into his arms and walks to the guy, carefully placing Kin-chan down into his lap. A tiny smile curls at the guys lips. 

"Thank you," he says and a little chuckle escapes his lips when Kin-chan licks his hand. It's a pleasant sound. 

\- 

Kuroo half expects Kin-chan to run away, but the cat stays. He doesn't even move when the blond guy slowly brings his knees closer to his chest and starts gaming again. 

Their eyes meet for a mere second once more, and throughout the hour the guy is staying at the cat cafe, Kuroo can feel those nearly golden eyes on him. 

It feels a bit like being watched by a cat. 

Kuroo doesn't mind that. 

\- 

"There's a new kitten in _Nekoma_ ," Kuroo mutters while slurping strawberry milk. Bokuto's eyes widen at the words and he stills for a second before shoving the remains of the cookies into his backpack. 

"Great!" he smiles, standing up, "I'll try to come to _Nekoma_ one of these days then," he adds and grunts to himself after checking the time on his watch. "I'm late again, gotta run! Bye!" 

Kuroo waves and Konoha laughs at Bokuto, a rushed "Bye" leaving his mouth. They're sitting on the grass close to the building Bokuto has a lecture in, but even after Bokuto leaving, they don't bother to move. 

"So, a new _kitten_ , huh?" Konoha asks, plucking out a grass strand and twirling it between his fingers. "He's coming often?" 

Kuroo narrows his eyes at Konoha, getting a snicker in reply. 

"You would have given out all the info about new cat right away, but you didn't," Konoha smirks, "I'm guessing it's a new regular." 

"Observant," Kuroo comments with a snarl, finishing his drink and placing the empty carton package beside himself. "Every few days, I think? Guessing from the amount of stickers he has on his customer's card." A little grin appears on Kuroo's face and he shrugs, "I mean, he either comes or is already there every time I have a shift, and I swear sometimes he's watching me. Maybe he's just coming for me," Kuroo nearly purrs the lasts words, now smiling slyly at Konoha. 

Konoha lets out a snort. 

"You _enjoy_ it," he teases and breaks into soft chuckles, "So, what? You've gotten a crush on a customer?" 

"I don't know," Kuroo shrugs. "He's kind of cute, but we haven't even talked yet. I mean, at least not about anything that's not cat cafe related." Kuroo sighs, keeping the thoughts filling his head to himself. He does enjoy seeing the "kitten" guy visit Nekoma and little glances at his direction make Kuroo somewhat happy. Konoha's almost seeing right through him and with a drop of fear inside himself Kuroo accepts that it might be a tiny little crush. He's jokingly telling Konoha that the blond guy comes to _Nekoma_ because of him, but there is some truth it this statement. Kuroo's not sure if that's the reason of the regular visits, but he knows he kind of wishes that it was. 

"Maybe I'm just affected by how head-over-heels Bokuto is for Akaashi," he adds, keeping the light tone of his voice, and it makes Konoha laugh again. 

"Yeah, maybe." 

Kuroo also laughs, albeit with a bit of restraint. He leans back, bringing his arms under his head as he lies down. He hears Konoha tap at his phone, an amused snort he lets out telling Kuroo that it's most probably Shirofuku whom Konoha is messaging with. 

He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, his thoughts breaking free. He wonders if the reason he's interested in the "kitten" really is related to Bokuto's crush on Akaashi. That'd also come back to that conversation they had about finding someone they love and to his own desire to find someone he'd care for unconditionally. It's a bit ridiculous how things like these get to Kuroo's head. People around him usually think that Kuroo doesn't care about relationships that much, that he simply goes out on dates for fun, especially when he ends up at one of Terushima's mixers. In a way they are right. He does go on dates because it's quite fun and more often than not he doesn't take his relationships very seriously. However, it's because Kuroo can usually tell from the very beginning that it won't last. It never does. 

Bokuto says the reason is cats and how much Kuroo adores the fluffy animals. Kuroo can't argue with the adoring part, but he's sure that's not why he's single most of the time. 

The thing is, Kuroo's never felt like he really, truly belonged with the people he dated. It has always started with high hopes, that maybe this time will be different, but it never was. It always felt the same. Hanging out with someone for fun and vainly waiting for that little twinkle to burst into flames. Looking forward to hearing what name he will be called this time. Kuroo or Tetsurou? Or maybe even simply Tetsu? 

It suddenly reminds him of stray cats that get called different names. They seem to belong to many people, but at the same time, they don't belong to anyone. Kuroo abruptly decides that maybe he too is like those stray cats that are always looking for a place to, in a way, call home, and he chuckles to himself. 

"What's so funny?" Konoha asks, his words ending with a yawn and a little hum when he stretches. 

"Just silly thoughts." 

"About what?" 

Kuroo stays silent for a few seconds, trying to fit his thoughts into the words. Something is stopping him, though, and he decides to leave the details to himself only. 

"About stray cats," he says and laughs again. 

He's quite sure that Konoha rolls his eyes. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for showing interest and for support!  
> I'm so happy this cat cafe au is getting nice feedback, it means so much to me <3
> 
> P.S. those who're reading "bits and pieces of us" might find something familiar here hehe

"You're early," Kuroo says with a chuckle, watching Bokuto change into slightly too small slippers. "Did you actually come here as a customer?" he hums, straightening up when Bokuto enters through the little gate. 

"I did!" Bokuto smiles brightly at him, flashing a peace sign. Kuroo turns around to print a slip of paper with the time Bokuto came in and puts it into a little case with the key to a locker. Bokuto happily looks around, his eyes jumping from one cat to another as if he's searching for something. "You said there's a new kitten here so I came to play." He furrows his eyebrows, a little pout appearing on his face, "Where's that cutie?" 

"Um," Kuroo lets out a short laugh and shrugs with one shoulder, fighting the urge to facepalm. "He's not here?" he says in a low voice, checking if no one is listening. Bokuto blinks a few times, looking at him dumbfounded. Kuroo takes a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck. He kind of wishes that sometimes Bokuto would be a bit more like Konoha who easily reads between the lines. Or maybe Kuroo himself should be more straight with his words. He clears his throat, leaning a bit closer to Bokuto. "I didn't mean an actual kitten," he whispers, glad that for once the "kitten" guy isn't at the cafe. Bokuto raises his eyebrows, making Kuroo let out a sigh, "There's just a new guy who's coming here quite often and he reminds me of a cat." 

Bokuto's eyes widen comically. 

"Whaaaaat?" 

"Yeah, well," Kuroo snickers. "Talk about the kitten," Kuroo mutters as his eyes travel to the opening doors. With bleached-out hair and a rather lean frame, the guy is easily recognizable. Kuroo doesn't need a second glance to know who's just come in. 

The big hood of the guy's sweatshirt falls over his head when he bends down to change into slippers. Kuroo hardly suppresses a chuckle and somehow manages to smile politely instead, "Welcome!" 

The guy straightens up and turns around, his eyes moving to Kuroo for a bare moment before he looks down. 

"Would you like me to remind you of the rules here?" Kuroo asks as he hands the bright red case with a paper slip and a locker key inside to the guy. He's sure that the guy knows all the rules, but it gives Kuroo a chance to exchange at least a few words with him. Besides, Bokuto is standing right next to them, so he needs to act at least a bit professional. 

The guy shakes his head. 

"I know them," he says and wanders to the lockers, bending down to pet Kin-chan who comes to rub against his legs. Kuroo feels his lips curl into another smile. Bokuto gives Kuroo a look, then shrugs and goes inside the cafe to search for Momo. 

Kuroo waits for a few minutes, tidying up the counter to busy himself with some work, and then goes back to his usual activities. He tends to both cats and customers, bringing some corn soup from vending machine to an old lady, then using a sticky roll to clean the carpet from cat hairs. However, his mind is somewhere far away. After Konoha brought up Kuroo's crush, Kuroo can't stop thinking about it, especially when the guy himself is so close to him. He's not sure if it's a real crush as he hasn't even talked properly with the guy, and Kuroo likes to think of himself as a person who cares not only about looks. The guy's behaviour gives off quite a lot anyway, Kuroo thinks to himself, his eyes moving to the blond guy. First of all, he likes cats which is already a good sign. He also comes often to the cafe and always alone which probably means he's more of an introvert, and he doodles a lot which gives his character some spice and glamour. He's probably sensitive to cold as he usually wears a hoodie, and Kuroo has to admit that it makes the guy seem very... huggable? 

He lets out a soft sigh when he realises he's looking at the guy again. Kin-chan is standing on his back legs, his front paws placed on blond guy's knees as he sniffs the game console. The guy gives Kin-chan a tender look and reaches to gently pat his head. He smiles, causing a chain reaction as Kuroo also smiles after seeing it and Bokuto, who's sitting with Momo in his lap, grins when he notices. 

Kuroo pretends he doesn't see that and he turns around, deciding it's time to check if there's enough paper towel at the sink. He can't stop the thought from coming to his head again. 

The guy enjoys gaming and he must be a kind person as he's so gentle with the cats. Kin-chan seems to like his company too, and even though it's a bit silly, Kuroo tends to think that him and Kin-chan are rather similar character-wise. He looks up at the mirror, meeting his reflection. Black hair and eyes with slightly brighter brown colour that stands out with the dark red of Nekoma's apron. Kuroo himself likes to call his eyes golden brown, and he almost giggles to himself. He would probably look a lot like Kin-chan if he were a cat. 

\- 

After good twenty minutes the guy stands up and walks to the table, flicking through the notebooks until he finds an empty page. He sits down then, reaching for the pencil and beginning to draw. It brings a pleasant feel of home, adding some slowness and peacefulness to the whole atmosphere of the cat cafe. If Kuroo were to see a cut-out scene of this guy sitting at this table and drawing, without a blink he'd say he's at his own room where no one can bother him. He doesn't seem to hurry, doesn't seem to check the time so that he wouldn't miss the one hour pass and wouldn't have to pay more. Kuroo wonders if the guy has some kind of part time job himself. Or maybe he comes from rich family and doesn't have to count hundreds of yen spent each week in cat cafe. Kuroo once again checks on the mysterious guy from the corner of his eye while he plays with Creampuff and tries to take a few photos to update _Nekoma_ 's twitter account. His gaze lingers on the guy's rather small built and he hopes the guy doesn't spend the money meant for his lunch here. 

\- 

Kuroo doesn't mean to bother the guy, but the words slip through his lips when he passes the table. 

"Are those Kin-chan and Natsu?" he asks without thinking. The guy is adding the last touches to an animated picture of a black cat stomping its feet on a miniature version of a garbage can, a smaller white cat hiding behind the black cat's back. It looks like a scene from some action movie where the hero saves the beautiful woman. Except that they are cats here and the villain is a little garbage can. 

"Yes," the guy says in that silent tone of his. He moves his hands to the corner of the page, scribbling something, and Kuroo doesn't expect him to say anything more. However, the pleasant voice reaches his ears again, "Kin-chan is saving Natsu from life in the streets." 

It's barely a whisper, but it's there, and that's enough. Kuroo finds himself sitting down on the chair opposite the blonde guy, and Kin-chan, who he's been carrying, hops onto the table. Kuroo looks at the drawing again, letting out a soft hum. Now he does realise that the garbage can is meant to represent the life of stray cats in the streets. Kin-chan has vivid yellow eyes with orange highlights, and there are some streaks of blue, purple and dark red in his fur while Natsu is drawn in black and white only. Kuroo glances at the pencils and markers scattered around, checking if there wasn't a blue one which could be used for Natsu's eyes or pink one which would add some cuteness to her fur. They're there, a few shades of each actually, but the guy decided not to use them for some reason. 

"Did you draw Natsu in black and white because she's still to get the colours in her life?" he asks, and to his surprise, the guy lets out a laugh, lowering his head to hide his mouth. 

"In a way, I guess," he says. "I didn't think much while drawing, it just felt right this way." He gives a little shrug and puts the pencil he was using aside, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

"You're really good at this," Kuroo says, still eyeing the page of the notebook. Now that the guy has pulled away his hand, Kuroo can see a name written at the corner in katakana. "Kenma? Is that your pen name?" 

When he turns to look at the guy, there's a faint blush spreading across his cheeks. He knits his eyebrows for a short moment before nodding, albeit slightly hesitantly. 

"I simply use my real name written in katakana as pen name," he explains. 

"Oh, so you're Kenma?" Kuroo asks, the "kitten" guy finally getting a name to be called. It's a simple name, but it has a nice ring to it and it seems to fit the guy well. 

"Kozume Kenma, but just Kenma is fine," the guy - Kenma - says and finally flickers his gaze to Kuroo, "And you are... Kuro?" 

"It's Kuroo, with another 'o' stuck at the end as a tail," he laughs at his own joke as the last "o" in his name is actually written using the kanji character for tail. He notices Kenma snort as he puts everything together in his head. 

"I'm sorry. Kuroo," Kenma repeats the name with a little nod as if trying to remember it. Caramel, a fluffy brown cat, meows at their feet, and Kenma's eyes flicker to her. He reaches for the soft cat, lifting her up on the table and hugging her close to his chest. She purrs. "I heard the blond girl call you that, but it seems I heard wrong," Kenma adds even without being asked. It brings a little smile to Kuroo's face when he realises that in fact Kenma really was paying attention to him. 

"It's fine," he says. "Kuroo Tetsurou is the full name. Nice to finally meet you." 

Kenma gives him a tender smile, the gold in his eyes shining in the light when he tilts his head. 

"Nice to meet you too." 

\- 

When the café's closing time approaches and Kenma finally gathers his things to leave, Kuroo can't stop himself from smiling. Kenma hands him his customer's card after paying 1600 yen for two hours he has spend here. Kuroo knows he's supposed to give one stamp for 500 yen, but he decides it wouldn't hurt to give Kenma four stamps instead. After doing it he notices that only one stamp is needed to finish the card and after a moment of hesitation Kuroo presses his hand down once more, a dark red smiling face of a cat looking at him when he pulls the hand away. He tells himself that he did that because Kenma really spent enough money to make up for a couple more stamps. Besides, he might be using his lunch money for this. It's simply his kind nature, Kuroo tells to himself, when he hands the card back to Kenma. 

"Please come again and take care of your way back home," he says, and Kenma thanks him. He looks down at the card and notices the amount of stamps he's got, his face turning red. He stutters another 'thank you' and turns around to leave. 

Kuroo thinks he feels warm in the cheeks too, and when he notices a little faint smile on Kenma's face when the other leaves, Kuroo knows the real reason he gave Kenma more stamps. 

He wishes for him to come back sooner. 

Bokuto walks up to him right after Kenma leaves, bringing Kuroo back to reality. He forgot to print the receipt earlier so Bokuto would pay only for one hour, but it seems Bokuto doesn't mind that. He grins instead, trying to change the topic. 

"So, what you're gonna do about that kitten?" 

Kuroo takes the money from Bokuto and puts them into the cash register, fighting his smile. He pursues his lips, a hum comes up his throat when he thinks about it. He hopes to talk to Kenma more and see how everything goes before making any move. Bokuto is looking at him with wide eyes, excited like a little kid, but Kuroo himself isn't sure what he's going to do. He doesn't know what exactly to say, so he simply shrugs. 

"I don't know. It doesn't matter now." He smiles at Bokuto, turning around and leaning forward with his hands placed on his hips, "What you're gonna do about Akaashi though? Konoha mentioned you'll try to ask him out. So did you decide to go to the cinema with him after all?" 

Kuroo knows he's the one changing the topic now, but once again Bokuto doesn't seem to mind that. He bends down to catch Natsu when she comes at his feet, and he holds her against his chest. 

"I don't know, I didn't ask him yet," he sighs. Natsu licks at his jaw and Bokuto lets out a soft chuckle, "But I think I'll try. He did mention he liked movies and it wouldn't be too obvious why I ask him out, right? I'm not sure how he feels. Well, not 'not sure'," he rolls his eyes and takes a deep breath, "I have absolutely no idea about it." 

Kuroo stops himself just in time and doesn't say ' _Tell me about it_ ' out loud, instead showing Bokuto thumbs up and approving his idea of going to the cinema. He thinks that maybe one day he himself will be doing the very same thing: trying to ask Kenma out but not be too obvious about it. Cinema sounds like a good choice. If anything goes wrong, you can just watch the movie in silence and go your separate ways. 

It seems he's said say it out loud this time as Bokuto looks at him with his mouth wide open in disbelief. Kuroo holds up his hands in defence, trying to calm Bokuto down. 

"It's just the worst case scenario! I'm not saying it will happen." 

He honestly hopes it doesn't happen. Neither to Bokuto nor to himself if he ever goes to the cinema with Kenma. 

He wonders if Kenma would like doing that. 

\- 

[08:01] << tell me again why am i working from early morning on a weekend 

_[konoha akinori 08:37] >> cause you get paid for it_

_[konoha akinori 08:37] >> and you hope your crush comes to nekoma_

[08:38] << maybe i just like the cats and wanna spend time with them 

[08:38] << his name is Kenma btw 

_[konoha akinori 08:40] >> brush your hair, impress the guy_

_[konoha akinori 08:40] >> gotta go, see you later_

[08:41] << see uuuuu 

Kuroo shoves the phone back into his dark, wine red jeans pocket and looks at the mirror. He did brush his hair this morning, but he's not sure if anyone else beside him would be able to tell. Maybe Bokuto, but he's not even sure about that. 

Kuroo casts a glance at Bokuto, who is sleeping peacefully with a sweet smile on his face. He sighs, envious of the luxury to get a few more hours of precious sleep. He's always thought himself to be better at planning his schedule, but somehow, lately he's noticing that Bokuto manages to fit more into his week, and he even gets to sleep in on the weekends. 

"I should wake you up for the company," Kuroo says, but he doesn't do that. Instead, he turns around, grabbing his stuff and slipping into his shoes. He leaves the apartment silently, turning the key extra slow to make sure he doesn't make any unnecessary noise. Even when he goes down the stairs, the soft rubber soles of his shoes almost don't make any sound. 

He takes a deep breath of fresh morning air. It's a bit windy today, but the sunlight is painting the street in bright yellow, and Kuroo hums, satisfied about his choice to wear black hoodie over his shirt. It feels like a good start of the day. 

\- 

"The thing is," Kuroo says, rubbing his hands over his face, "I'm starting to do silly things." 

He's sitting at a little table of Denny's together with Terushima, their slightly too small pizzas in front of them. The day at _Nekoma_ was good, to say at least. The cats acted nice today, the customers seemed happy about visiting the cafe, and, most importantly, Kenma came. It's just that it made Kuroo realise something. Something that he feels the need to share with someone, but doesn't want to tell neither Bokuto nor Konoha. He thinks he needs a new insight, a straight-on comment, and both Konoha and Bokuto know Kuroo too well to give a non-biased opinion here. 

Kuroo looks at Terushima, who's toying with the piercing in his tongue while trying to choose which slice of pizza to start with. They've been friends for around half a year after meeting at a mixer where Kuroo's group mate asked him to go instead of him. They never do a lot of meeting and talking, however, there is always something easy about hanging out with Terushima. 

He finally takes one slice and lifts his eyes to meet Kuroo's. There's a smirk on his face. 

"I'm listening," he says. Kuroo takes a deep breath. It's probably going to sound ridiculous, but then again, he feels like at this point his own life is getting slightly ridiculous too. 

"I gave him cat treats for free." 

Terushima lets out a choked laugh, "You did what?!" 

Kuroo's eyes widen as he realises his mistake. He shakes his head, not being able to withhold a laugh of his own. 

"That's not what I meant," he clarifies, holding up his finger. "I meant, I let him give the treats to the cats for free." 

"Okay." Terushima snorts as if this explanation makes even less sense, but still leans over the table to bump his knuckles at Kuroo's shoulder, "It's cool. Go on." 

\- 

_Kuroo's been keeping himself busy from the very morning since a couple of elder ladies came to Nekoma. He's seen them for the first time and they've seemed to be awfully interested in everything about the cats, the cafe itself, and about Kuroo's life._

_Kenma came in at noon, but Kuroo couldn't even exchange a few words with him. Right when he let Kenma in and gave him the key to a locker, one of the ladies called him over again, asking if he could take a photo of her together with Creampuff. He nodded, agreeing politely. When he turned away from Kenma, Kuroo's quite sure he's seen the other stifling a laugh._

_It's rather pleasing, relaxing in a way, when after a while the ladies leave and the cafe falls silent. Kuroo lets out a sigh, forgetting about his surrounding for a moment. The ladies were nice, but Kuroo has to admit that a few hours spent with them around were slightly tiring._

_"They seemed to like your company very much."_

_Kuroo turns around to see Kenma, who is sitting on the ground next to the lockers. He's got a faint, almost unnoticeable smile on his face, his finger drawing shapes on the floor. It seems to interest Momo very much._

_"I wonder if others do too," Kuroo says because his mouth-filter is not working at the moment, and somehow he doesn't feel like a staff member talking to a customer. Kenma looks up at him, his eyes searching for something on Kuroo's face. Then, he shrugs, glancing down at Momo._

_"Perhaps," he says. "You seem to be the type who is hard to not like."_

_Kuroo stays silent for a while, not knowing how to react to this piece of information. Konoha and Bokuto, and his other friends have mentioned he's easy to be around, easy to like. Daichi once said that Kuroo sends off good vibes, good energy that attracts people. Afterwards he added that it's a sly move, because people expect kindness and in the end, they are met with Kuroo's slightly cunning, slightly devilish personality, but then it's already too late to go back. Kuroo knows there might be some truth in those words, but he still tells himself Daichi's been only joking._

_There's something different about Kenma saying it though, and Kuroo's not sure how to deal with it._

_"Would you like to give treats to the cats?" he asks instead, without thinking, and before Kenma can reply, Kuroo disappears behind the_ _STAFF ONLY_ _door._

_It's a bit calming to be alone for a couple of minutes._

_When he comes out, Kenma is standing. He's looking at the posters on the walls as if he hasn't seen them yet, but when he hears the door open, his eyes shift to Kuroo._

_With cat treats in his hand, Kuroo walks to Kenma, who turns his whole body to face Kuroo._

_"Here you go."_

K _enma slightly furrows his eyebrows, looking down at the snacks before lifting his eyes to meet Kuroo's, "Aren't those for extra price?"_

_Kuroo offers him a faint smile, trying to come up with the reason as fast as he can.  
"Um, well," he clears his throat and glances at the cats starting to gather around them at the rustle of cat treats package. Kuroo laughs silently and pushes the snacks into Kenma's hands, "Today is a special day, so you can feed them for free." _

_Kuroo feels warm, his ears burning now, after realising what he's doing, but he tries to tell himself that he's just imagining it or that Kenma won't notice anyway._

_Kenma eyes the snacks for a few seconds, not asking any more questions. His lips break into a soft smile and he slightly nods, his fingers brushing against Kuroo's when he accepts the treats, "Thank you."_

_-_

Terushima takes a deep breath and holds it in. Then, he laughs, the sound softer than one would imagine, and he runs a hand through his bleached out hair. 

"You giving the guy treats isn't even the main problem here. Your whole behaviour around him is," he says. "Not that it's a problem actually, it's nothing bad. Just," he takes another deep breath to prepare himself or Kuroo, or maybe both of them, for what he says next, "you're crushing _hard_." 

Kuroo looks at him, expecting the phrase he's been waiting for and at the same time has been dreading to hear. 

"You're screwed," Terushima finally says, and Kuroo lets out a heavy sigh. 

He guessed he was, but hearing Terushima say it aloud makes it real, undeniable true. 

"What do I do?" he mutters, more to himself, but Terushima decides to reply. 

"It's easy," he shrugs his shoulders, reaching for the last slice of his pizza, "You ask him out. 

  



	3. Chapter 3

Asking someone out sounds easy, especially when it's Terushima who says it. 

Kuroo scoffs at this thought and gathers his notes after the lecture. The professor is asking if anyone has any questions, but luckily Kuroo doesn't have any. He hurries out through the door before all the people from other classrooms emerge. There's already a line at the elevator though, and Kuroo sighs. He decides to take stairs, skipping a few at the time to get down faster. He's the one responsible for buying lunch boxes today and he doesn't want Konoha to complain later if he doesn't get karaage bento. 

It's hot outside and Kuroo wishes he was in Hokkaido where the weather must already be more autumn-like. However, if he were in Hokkaido, he couldn't have lunch with Bokuto and Konoha outside as often as they do now, so Kuroo gives up on his wish after a few seconds of arguing with himself. 

He's one of the first ones to come to the bento shop. The woman working there smiles at him, already reaching for the lunch boxes even before Kuroo finishes saying what he wants. Him, Bokuto or Konoha always buy the same thing, and the woman already recognizes them. Kuroo pays, and she hands him a plastic bag with three boxes and three sets of chopsticks in it. Pleasant smell of warm food fills Kuroo's nostrils when he checks inside the bag, and his eyes narrow in joy. 

He meets Konoha and Bokuto in the park, both of them already sitting cross-legged on the poor grass of October. Compared to a couple of weeks ago, there are considerably less people now, and the trees are slowly starting to change colours, trying to catch up with autumn, but still refusing to leave summer behind. 

A stray cat that the university community is taking care of appears in the corner of Kuroo's eye. The running cat abruptly reminds him of Kenma's doodle of Natsu and Kin-chan, and Kuroo feels himself smile. There's no hero cat to protect this little stray one, just humans bringing some food, but the running cat seems happy, it seems saved. Kenma would probably draw this little animal in colourful markers. 

"Thanks for the meal," Konoha says, bringing Kuroo back to reality. 

"Thanks for the meal," Kuroo and Bokuto repeats after him. All of them break their chopsticks and start eating. 

Asking someone out might be easy, but getting that person to agree to go out is a different story. Bokuto seems to be struggling with both, Konoha with neither. But Bokuto's usually lucky in some bizarre way which is beyond Kuroo's understanding, and Konoha doesn't seem to need luck in the first place. And Kuroo? Kuroo just hopes he doesn't end up like Terushima who finds it easy to ask someone out but the answer is usually negative. 

\- 

Kuroo doesn't really expect the chance to ask Kenma out to present itself the very same day. He's idly petting Momo who has just run up to him and fallen on his back, his big bright eyes following Kuroo's every moment while he runs his hands through the soft hair on Momo's belly. The cafe is silent without customers at closing hours, and Kuroo half expects Bokuto to show up and drag him home as he feels dangerously close to staying here late again. Sadly, Bokuto's probably already home as he and Konoha went to the gym today, pestering Kuroo that he's been slacking off on volleyball since summer. He takes a deep breath and buries his face in Momo's fur, slowly blowing the air to the kitten's belly. He thinks that he could spend eternity like this. 

"Oh." 

Kuroo's eternity lasts less than ten seconds and he straightens up, turning his head to the right. He meets Kenma's eyes. He blinks. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice the time," Kenma says, his voice small, and gets to his feet. He's been sitting at the table right next to the vending machine, and Kuroo can't believe he hasn't noticed that Kenma is still here. Kuroo checks the time on his watch. It's a bit after ten. "I will pay extra for this," Kenma adds, giving the last stroke to Natsu who's lying on the notebook Kenma's been doodling in. 

"It's okay, don't worry." Kuroo smiles and stands up. He walks up to Kenma and takes the locker key from him after the other takes out his stuff. Kenma smiles back at him before turning around to go to throw away the paper cup in the trash bin and wash his hands. 

He does it hastily, but to Kuroo it somehow looks a bit like a slow motion movie, like moments during volleyball matches when everything is so fast and sudden that it almost freezes in front of your eyes. Maybe it's because of drowsiness or maybe it's the result of constant thinking and rethinking about what Terushima's said, but when Kenma turns back, his eyes flickering to Kuroo for a split second, Kuroo thinks he's done enough waiting. 

"Do you want some tea?" he asks, without thinking his words through, and curses inside his head at how it comes out of his mouth. Kenma blinks at him, tilting his head to look at the vending machine. 

"Thank you, but I can't really drink while walking," he gives Kuroo another faint smile and takes out his wallet to pay. Kuroo considers to just drop the conversation and pretend that he really was simply offering to take a drink from the vending machine before leaving. However, something inside him tells him not to do that. Maybe he's going to lose a customer like this, maybe he's going to get a bit of a heartache, maybe he's going to regret it, but he tries not to think about it for now. He licks his lips and gives Kenma a smile. He hopes he's going to be like Konoha just for a few moments. Ask Kenma out. Get a positive answer. No struggles. 

"I mean, would you like to go out for tea with me?" 

Kenma looks up from his wallet. 

"Now?" 

"Now," Kuroo says. His hands aren't sweating and his heartbeat doesn't ring in his ears. There's just a shadow of nervousness and fear hiding somewhere inside him, but the look in Kenma's eyes says the shadow is not going to get any bigger. Kuroo smiles again. "Well," he adds, "technically in around ten minutes as I still need to close it up." 

Kenma lets out a silent snort, a little smile curling at his lips, and then, he nods. 

"Okay." 

\- 

It's almost half past ten when they exit Nekoma and walk to the closest cafe. It's open only until eleven, but there's nothing better around, so neither of them mentions it. 

They settle at a little table in the corner by the window. The cafe is at full swing with Halloween decorations: stickers of bats are all over the windows, grinning pumpkins are watching them from the counter and a parade of witches, zombies and other monsters is taking up place on one of the walls. There's also a little sculpture of black cats on their table, light flickering through the holes in their eyes, and Kuroo can't decide if it's creepy or cool. There's a sweet smell in the air, and Kuroo eyes his pumpkin latte while Kenma slowly takes a sip of his milk tea, at the same time trying to get some apple pie with the fork in his other hand. Some soft tune is playing from the speakers, mixed with mutters of a few other customers talking at the other side of the room. Kuroo wraps his fingers around the cup, lifting his eyes to look at Kenma. He's not sure what to do now when they're not in the safety of the cat cafe. He opens his mouth to start chatting, then closes it again, realising he doesn't know how to start. 

Kenma's lips twirl into a little smile when he tastes the apple pie, and he looks at Kuroo. 

"So," he says, "you're from Tokyo?" 

"Been here my whole life," Kuroo replies, feeling some of the tension go. He takes a sip of his latte. It's sweet, just like aroma of it. He lets out a puff. "However, I can pretend to be from Kansai as I learned their dialect. What about you?" 

Kenma chuckles. Obviously he didn't expect this answer, but it amused him. 

"Why would you do that? It's not that easy, is it?" he asks, and then adds, "And same, I'm from Tokyo. But sadly," he stresses the word, biting his lips for a bare second to stop himself from laughing, "I can't pretend to be from anywhere else." 

"It wasn't that bad." Kuroo shrugs, using a moment to sip his drink, "In high school we had a transfer student from there, so she taught me Kansai dialect." 

"That's nice," Kenma says with a little hum. "I'll know who to ask for help if I ever need it." 

"Oh, anytime," Kuroo lets out a short laugh, but then he furrows his eyebrows. "Why would you need it though?" 

"If I make one of my characters come from there." 

"Your characters?" 

"Manga." 

"Manga?" Kuroo repeats. "You draw manga?" 

Kenma nods, slowly as if not entirely sure if it's a good decision to talk about it. He swallows another bite of the apple pie and finally says, "A little bit." 

"Cool." Kuroo smiles, and Kenma looks up at him, slightly surprised. "I don't usually read manga myself, but my flatmate loves it. He won't stop talking about it." 

Kenma chuckles at this. 

"That sounds fun." 

His voice is small and even though it sounds genuine, there's a sad note to it. Kuroo wonders if he's said anything wrong. 

"Do you live alone?" he asks, and Kenma shakes his head. 

"With my parents. There was no point in renting a flat as I live rather close to the university. But I guess sharing a flat with a friend must be rather nice." 

"It has its good side, but sometimes I wish I still lived with my parents. Home food and less problems," he says, partly because it's true but also because he wants to make Kenma feel at least a bit better. "No rent to pay." 

Kenma smiles. It's a faint one, but a smile nevertheless, and Kuroo feels somewhat proud for getting it. Kenma's probably seen through Kuroo, but he doesn't comment on that, instead getting back to his tea and pie. 

"It's a pity that this cafe isn't open for a bit longer," he says after a little while. His eyes are lowered, his hair hanging loose around his face. It's tempting to reach for a strand of blond hair and tug it behind Kenma's ear. But Kuroo doesn't dare to do it. He tightens his grip around the cup instead and looks through the window. With all the lights on it doesn't feel like it's almost midnight. 

"It seems I'm not that good at asking people out," he says, nearly in whisper, and Kenma laughs, lifting his head. Kuroo turns to meet his eyes. 

"Maybe you could try it again next time," Kenma says. 

He's cute like this. Remains of that little laugh are still visible on his face, in his bright eyes and the curve of his lips. There's a bit of pinkness dusting his cheeks as if he's been sipping those fuzzy alcoholic drinks and not simple milk tea. However, the slight blush is not because of alcohol. It's because of Kuroo, and while Kuroo did have some thoughts that maybe he's not the only one who's attracted to the other, he wouldn't dare to let himself hope that those guesses might be true. 

He does now though, and he smiles. 

"Maybe I should." 

\- 

It's interesting how little and at the same time how much everything changes after going to a cafe together. Kenma still comes to _Nekoma_ regularly and he's acting same as before: petting cats, doodling them in the notebooks, playing on his gaming console. He approaches Kuroo only if he needs to ask about something or if there is no one else around. 

Kenma seems to be good at keeping his public face while Kuroo suffers, trying to keep himself from stealing glances. He can't stop thinking about what Kenma has said in the cafe. He's waiting for a right moment to ask Kenma out again, but when the chance appears, Kuroo lets it pass. 

He's always been the one who encouraged Bokuto to ask people out, but when he's in such a situation himself, it gets a lot more difficult. He's sure that Kenma would agree; after all, he was the one who suggested that Kuroo should try again. However, some traitorous part of his brain tells Kuroo he's simply misunderstanding things. He's imagining. 

Kuroo shakes his head. He takes a small box of chocolate candies from the staff room. It's a lazy evening in the cafe. The rain is softly knocking at the windows as if asking to be let in, and Kuroo finds himself wanting to open the window just a crack to hear the melody of the lonesome rain better. His lips twirl into a faint smile and he reaches to run his fingers through Creampuff's hair for some kind of comfort. Creampuff sniffs the box and lets out a silent meow. 

"These are not for you," Kuroo murmurs. "It's for the customers," he explains, and Creampuff meows again as if understanding. Kuroo's smile brightens and he turns around, walking up to the table where a young couple is sitting. He offers them some sweets, getting the attention of Tora and Natsu who are playing under the table. Kuroo's not sure if the couple gets more excited by the candies or by the cats, but either way they smile, and Kuroo's okay with that. He goes to Yachi then, exchanging a few words with her. She tells him about the English project she's working on for school, asking for his opinion on some details, but eventually she gets distracted by Momo trying to catch the edge of her skirt between his paws. Kuroo laughs at this, handing Yachi a candy. She gives him a smile, her cheeks getting pink, and takes the candy with a silent "Thank you." 

Kuroo's mind stays on Yachi and it keeps the smile on his face when he walks up to an elderly lady before making his way to the furthest end of the cafe. 

Kenma is sitting on a little couch by the window there. He seems to be watching the racing drops of water, his fingers slowly stroking Caramel's long hair. 

"Do you mind?" Kuroo asks. Kenma's eyes flicker to him, then to the empty seat, and he shakes his head. 

"Of course not." 

Kuroo sits down, holding up a box with the chocolate candies. He asks, "You want any?" 

Kenma lets out a puff, his lips curling into a smile, and he reaches for a candy. 

"So this time I'm the one who gets treats?" he asks when Caramel sniffs the candy and backs off, realising it's not for her. Kenma laughs silently at this and looks at Kuroo, "Thanks, Kuro." 

Kenma's closely watching Kuroo's reaction when he says the name. He's probably waiting to see if Kuroo corrects him, but Kuroo doesn't. It sounds fine to him; in fact, he even likes it. 

"You're welcome," he says. Kenma starts unwrapping the candy, and Kuroo realises he's been in the cafe for almost two hours already. 

"Did you eat lunch today?" he asks, and Kenma's hand stills. 

"Excuse me?" He furrows his eyebrows. 

"Did you eat lunch?" Kuroo repeats, "Today, before coming here. Did you have a meal?" 

Kenma seems confused, trying to understand why Kuroo is suddenly asking this. He nods slowly, not sure what is happening. 

"I did," he finally says. "Why are you asking?" 

Kuroo lets out a silent sigh of relief. He reaches for the cat in Kenma's lap and gently rubs behind her ear. 

"You're coming here quite often," he starts, giving Caramel a smile, but knowing he's smiling not only at her soft purring, "and even though _Nekoma_ is a bit cheaper than bigger cat cafes, it still costs money. I got a bit worried that you're spending your lunch money here or something like that," he admits, glancing at Kenma, then lowering his eyes to look at Caramel again. 

Kenma stays silent for a moment, but Kuroo notices how he curls his fingers. It takes all of Kuroo's willpower not to take them in his hand. 

"You... You actually paid attention to this," Kenma finally says, and when Kuroo looks up, he's smiling. He clears his throat. "I'm not spending my lunch money here. My parents give me enough pocket money," he says in small voice as if he's not really comfortable about it, "and I also make some money myself from drawing manga. Usually I don't spend it anywhere else, so it's fine," he explains. Kuroo hums, nodding at Kenma's words. Kenma chuckles silently and then adds, "Thanks for caring." 

"If I had a different part-time job, I'd probably spend all my money for visiting cat cafes. So I decided to simply apply here instead." 

"It's good you did," Kenma says. He's watching the rain, and Kuroo wonders if he understood the phrase correctly. The note in Kenma's voice spoke of Kuroo being here, right now, of them listening to the lonesome rain together, their fingers eager to touch but not daring to, not yet. 

It doesn't seem like they're in a cafe where Kenma is just a customer and Kuroo is just a part-timer. It feels like they're somewhere else. Kuroo's not sure where, but somewhere in the company of each other, where the melancholic music of the raindrops against the window doesn't affect them. He looks at Kenma's profile, at the way he nibbles on his lip from inside, and abruptly Kuroo realises that maybe he's not the only one feeling like a stray cat. 

"Hey, Kenma?" he asks in a low voice, and Kenma turns to him, his eyes wide. Kuroo lets out a short, silent laugh. He doesn't even know why; maybe it's his body trying to make the sudden nervousness in his stomach disappear. He's not sure if it works. "Can I ask you out again?" 

Kenma smiles at him. 

"Where to this time?" 

"Anywhere," Kuroo says without thinking. "I don't know. To Ueno. Or to Odaiba. To the cinema?" he spills everything that comes to his mind. It's not how he imagined his ideal asking-Kenma-out plan, but he hopes it's better than nothing. "I haven't thought this through," he admits and takes a deep breath. "It's said that the third time doesn't lie, right?" 

Kenma laughs at this, and Kuroo thinks that he leans a slightly bit closer to him. 

"It is, but I think I'll take the second one as well," he says. "Ueno sounds nice. I'm not sure if you're interested in exhibitions, but there are some very nice ones there." 

"Let's try those." 

"Sunday at noon?" Kenma asks, sounding hopeful. 

"Sunday at noon. Park Exit?" 

"Okay." 

"Okay," Kuroo says and lets out a little sigh. "Okay, one more thing." 

"Yes?" 

Kuroo looks around. The couple at the table is chatting among themselves and giggling, Yachi is fully concentrated on Momo who's suddenly interested in his own tail, and the elder lady is washing her hands in the sink next to the restroom. His eyes travel back to Kenma's face, meeting his golden brown ones. 

"Can we make it a date?" he asks. The moment between the words leaving his mouth and Kenma reacting to them feels like forever, but finally there's a smile on Kenma's face and a little nod of his head. 

"Yeah. Let's do that." 

\- 

Kenma doesn't show up at _Nekoma_ the following days and Kuroo doesn't have a chance to ask for his phone number, email or LINE. It makes him slightly frustrated that he hasn't asked for it before and now doesn't have anything to keep in contact with Kenma. 

He slams the ball through Bokuto's block, and Bokuto whines, a pout appearing on his face. It's the last point of the game, and Kuroo grins. 

"That hurt," Bokuto complains, rubbing his palm. "You could be more careful playing against your precious friends." He laughs, and Konoha snickers beside him. He comes up to Bokuto, resting his arm on his shoulders. 

"Kuroo's mind seemed to be out of the game, don't you think so?" he asks Bokuto, but his eyes are on Kuroo, and his smirk is directed at him, too. 

"Another report to write?" Bokuto guesses with a frown, "Why are you always ending up with classes that require so many reports?" He crosses his arms over his chest, shaking his head, "No wonder your mind is somewhere else, it probably wants to rest for once." 

"Yeah, perhaps," Kuroo agrees, laughing. He sees Konoha raise an eyebrow at him. He shrugs his shoulders in reply. "I'm fine though," he says, lifting the net and bending down to go under it. 

"One more day and it's weekend. You can do it!" Bokuto beams, knocking his fist against Kuroo's shoulder. 

Two more days and he meets Kenma. Can he do that too? 

Kuroo's both excited and nervous about it. Part of him still looks at this suspiciously as it all seems too good, too easy. He wants to message Kenma and ask if they're really meeting in Ueno at noon on Sunday. It's the first time he goes on a real date blindly, trusting to meet at certain time and certain place without possibility to rearrange it, inform that something has happened and he can't come or that he will be late. He's not sure if his nervousness lies within this knowledge or that's because it's a date with Kenma and that alone, even now, seems lightly unreal to him. 

Bokuto leaves them to run to the first years, happy to explain something that he was asked about. Kuroo turns to Konoha, and Konoha offers him a smile. 

"Brush your hair and impress Kenma," he says, and Kuroo laughs. 

"Sounds easy." 

\- 

Kenma is already waiting when Kuroo comes, and Kuroo can't suppress a heavy sigh of relief. He's on time and he has brushed his hair before leaving, so according to Konoha, everything should be fine. 

"Hey, Kenma." 

"Hi. You're here," Kenma says, the tension disappearing from his shoulders and a smile coming up his face. Kuroo guesses that Kenma was probably worrying about the same things, so he takes out his phone, opening LINE messaging app. He notices Kenma's already holding his phone in his hands, and he smiles. Perhaps Kenma's been thinking the same. 

"Do you use LINE?" Kuroo asks, and Kenma nods, his fingers tapping on the screen. Kuroo shows his LINE QR code to Kenma, letting him scan it and add him as a friend. 

"Kuroo Tetsu...rawr?" Kenma snorts, looking up at Kuroo. "Nice name." 

" _Thanks_. Yours is very original," Kuroo says, eyeing a new friend on his list. Kenma's LINE name is simply "kenma" and his profile picture is a hurried doodle of himself. 

Kenma laughs and shrugs. 

"I tried," he says, putting his phone into his jeans pocket. He takes a deep breath and points to the museums in the distance, "Ready? Let's go?" 

Kuroo nods, turning on his heel and starting to walk beside Kenma. They're keeping a bit of a distance between themselves, being not too close for their shoulders to touch, but still close enough to chat without having to talk very loudly. 

The day is sunny and still warm, even with a bit of autumn chill biting at their cheeks and hands. A lot of couples and families with children are strolling in the park, enjoying the weather before the sky gets gloomy again. Kuroo groans silently when they see a crowd gathered around the National Museum of Nature and Science. Kenma said he doesn't remember visiting the exhibitions there, so it seemed like a fun place to start, but now they decide to change the plan. 

Kuroo's never thought he would go on some kind of a museum-hopping date, but when they go to the Tokyo National Museum instead of the Nature and Science one, it doesn't put him off the slightest bit. Kenma, who appears to have a yearly pass, waits for Kuroo to buy a ticket, and after walking around a bit, he leads Kuroo to his favourite exhibition. 

Kuroo doesn't find it surprising that they end up in the wood block prints section. He's known that this art inspired manga and anime, but hearing Kenma explain about it is a pleasant experience. There's excitement in his eyes when he whispers the words, various names that Kuroo is going to forget in a few minutes easily rolling off his tongue, the stories unfolding themselves, being interrupted only by silent breaths. 

The hall is nearly empty, with only one man taking photos of the works at the opposite side. The sound of his phone camera is the only thing interrupting their hushed talks, but maybe it's because of the lack of the lighting in the hall that somehow it doesn't feel like anyone would pay attention to what they're doing anyway. 

"Have you seen this one?" Kenma asks, his fingers reaching for Kuroo's forearm when he nearly passes a little print at the very corner of the hall. His touch on the skin is feathery, pleasant, and Kuroo wishes it lingered a second longer. 

"Which one?" Kuroo turns around, taking a step to stand next to Kenma, whose eyes flicker to him. It's obvious which print Kenma is talking about, but the question makes him tilt his head to look at Kuroo. And maybe that's where Kuroo's cunning side which Daichi's been talking about makes its appearance; he lets himself watch Kenma's face when he brushes their fingers together, gently taking Kenma's hand in his own. "Cats in Edo period? Cool," he hums, eyeing the print in front of them. 

Kenma lets out a puff, a beam on his face, and he curls his fingers in Kuroo's palm. 

"We can see more there." He points to the collection ahead and he starts moving towards it, Kuroo automatically following as Kenma doesn't let go of his hand. 

\- 

"Have you ever ridden a boat in the pond nearby?" Kuroo asks when they're sitting on the bench close to the fountain near the museum. The trees are slowly changing their colours to yellows, oranges and reds, but it's still going to take a couple of weeks for them to forget they've been green. 

"I haven't." Kenma looks up at him, blowing air on the hot coffee with syrup he bought a few minutes ago. "Have you?" 

"Only in spring. It's possible to rent a cycling boat for half an hour, so I thought it'd be fun as the weather is great," he explains, squinting at the sun. "Though we can't really watch the autumn leaves yet," he adds, looking at the trees around the park again. Kenma lifts his head, his eyes also travelling to the colourful leaves beginning to decorate the trees. 

"It's not the only thing that matters," Kenma says, his voice sounding soft, and he sips at his drink, closing his eyes for a moment to enjoy the taste. "I'd love to go if you don't mind waiting until I finish this." He raises the cup a bit higher, and Kuroo laughs. 

"Take your time," he says, a smile settling on his face. Sitting here like this feels cosy anyway. They start chatting again, somehow finding yet another, and another thing to talk about. It feels like they've been hanging out together for a long time; it seems there's so much they already know about each other, but also there is so much they are still about to discover. It's fascinating to learn about the things that make Kenma laugh or grimace, it's pleasing to let his eyes linger on Kenma's fingers, on his face and sometimes even on his lips. Kuroo finds it all nice. 

He doesn't mind waiting. 

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fluffffff and happy kuroken!


	4. Chapter 4

Landing a crush on Kenma feels a lot like falling in love for the first time all over again. 

It doesn't take much to make Kuroo feel happy. Just being together brings a smile to his face and every touch makes his cheeks feel warm. During the thirty minutes of their boat ride, Kuroo considers confessing four times, but in the end doesn't voice it out. The words seem to weight him and he's not sure if letting them out because of this reason would be a good choice. He likes Kenma. He likes him a lot. He wants to bathe Kenma in attention, he wants to hug him close and be sure that Kenma will never go away, but he's doesn't want to hurry. 

Kuroo doesn't hug him and they part ways with a bit awkward waving when their hands have to still midway without reaching each other's backs. Maybe later, their eyes say, maybe when there's no one around. 

Kuroo wonders if Kenma wants to kiss him too. 

\- 

Kuroo is pleasantly surprised when a couple of days after their date Kenma messages him on LINE, asking about his working hours. Kuroo has to retype his message a few times to get it written in correct kanji characters as he gets too excited, but after that things get easier. 

When Kuroo doesn't have volleyball practice and Kenma isn't busy with university or drawing manga, they meet before Kuroo's shift at _Nekoma_ or after it. A couple of times Kenma goes to the cat cafe for an hour or two with Kuroo, but sometimes he just greets the cats and leaves as now he has other places to spend money at. Kuroo wishes he could just let Kenma in for free, but it could cause problems. Besides, Kenma himself would never agree to it. 

The days when Kuroo doesn't see Kenma seem to stretch out, and the ones when he does always last too short. After adding each other on LINE, they have started talking more, but the chat is never enough for Kuroo. It's easier in a way, but he hates waiting for the reply to come and he hates seeing some kind of a reaction in the message but without Kenma's face to go with it. 

He just loves seeing Kenma's reactions in person. 

Kenma scrunches his nose a second before sneezing, and Kuroo snorts to himself at the funny sound. He takes a cup of milk tea from the vending machine and brings it to Kenma, who is sitting on the floor with his legs stretched out, Natsu dozing off on them. Her little paws are almost hugging Kenma's knee and she champs silently as if she's just dreamed about something delicious. 

"You didn't have to," Kenma says, his voice slightly hushed, but he thanks Kuroo, bringing a cup to his mouth. 

"I wasn't doing anything anyway. Well, I had a staring contest with Kin-chan, but I lost right away. He's too good at it, don't get dragged into it." 

Kenma chuckles, trying his best to suppress the laugh so he won't disturb Natsu. 

"Maybe you're just bad at it," he finally says. "I think I might have had a staring contest with Kin-chan some time ago. He was the first to look away." 

Kuroo gasps, placing his palm on his chest for exaggeration, but then his expression softens. He gives Kenma a quick glance and, smiling, shrugs his shoulders. "Well, can't really blame him. Even Kin-chan can be a bit shy sometimes," he says, his eyes searching for the black cat in the cafe. Kin-chan is hiding under the table, looking around as if he's thinking about what trick he should play next. 

Kenma hums, sipping at his tea. He looks thoughtful as if he's considering Kuroo's words very seriously. Finally, he looks up, giving Kuroo a little beam when the other turns his eyes back on Kenma. Kuroo also smiles and he notices Kenma's eyes flicker to his lips for a second. 

Then, Kenma says, "There's nothing to be shy about." 

\- 

"How is Akaashi supposed to understand that you're interested if you don't let him know that? Just tell him," Kuroo says, playing with a box of cookies in his hands. The words leave his mouth easily, and it makes Kuroo feel like Terushima, who goes to talk to a girl he likes right away. He always says it's easier to confess at the very beginning as with time, it gets harder to do it, but Kuroo has never really listened to it. 

"And get all uncomfortable if he says no? Great advice, Kuroo," Bokuto snorts, making Kuroo rethink Terushima's advice once again. Maybe it is easier to say it at the beginning, but don't the words lose the meaning that way? Can he really confess even before asking someone out and then use the same words again, long after it? He scowls, not liking such an idea. 

Kuroo snaps back to reality when Bokuto reaches for the box in Kuroo's hand, whining, "Give me back those cookies." 

Kuroo moves the box out of Bokuto's reach just in time. He grins. 

"Okay, don't confess yet," he says, and even though the words are directed at Bokuto, Kuroo feels a bit like saying it to himself as well. "But ask him out on a date. Like, use the word. Date. And I'll give you all the cookies." 

"That's the same as confessing," Bokuto intones, giving Kuroo a look, and Kuroo falters. 

"Oh, come on." He laughs. Bokuto's words make his heart beat faster, though he doesn't know if it's from relief that Kenma already knows his feelings or from the nervousness of that. He shrugs, adding, "If he left because of this, it'd just mean he wasn't going to be that good of a friend anyway. It's going nowhere like this. Just bring it up sometime. I mean, even I asked Kenma out and-" 

The words escape Kuroo's mouth, and Bokuto blinks at him, confused. 

"What? Wait. Wait, wait," he says, "Kenma? Who's Kenma?" 

Kuroo swears silently to himself and lets out a weary sigh, but there's a little traitorous smile playing on his lips. He's been keeping this away, but now the slipped words make him feel somewhat glad. It makes him want to tell Bokuto all about Kenma, but he couldn't stop if he started, so instead he simply says, "The 'kitten' from the cat cafe." He chuckles at Bokuto's open mouth and adds, "Yes, yes, you were right. Anyway, if I did that, you can also do it." 

"He's cute," Bokuto suddenly says and Kuroo rolls his eyes for the show, trying to withhold his smile. Of course Kenma is cute. He's a bit like a cat that seems hard to approach, but is too cute and too nice for you to give up before trying. And if you try, after a while the cat accepts you. 

Proudly, Kuroo smiles to himself. 

Bokuto tries to grab the cookies again, and Kuroo pushes the box further away. 

"Will you ask Akaashi out on a date?" he asks before Bokuto can start asking questions of his own. It takes some time for Bokuto to answer and meanwhile Kuroo decides that if Bokuto agrees to do it, he will ask Kenma out on a date again. Maybe he could even confess. 

"I'll try," Bokuto finally says. "Next week after our trip. And if he says no, I'll just..." 

"You will move on," Kuroo finishes, then tilts his head to catch Bokuto's glare, "but I think he won't." 

His mind travels to him with Kenma for a second. Even though everything seems to be going smoothly and Kuroo doesn't think he'll have to move on, he wonders how would Kenma react to a confession? Would he say the same words back to him? 

Bokuto chuckles and a blush comes to his cheeks when he hears Kuroo's words. Bokuto looks happy like this, and Kuroo hopes that this happiness, as well as his own, will last. 

"That would be awesome," Bokuto hums, his lips turning into a little bright smile. 

Yeah, Kuroo thinks and he smiles. It would. 

\- 

A few days later, right after Kuroo's birthday, Kenma kisses him. 

It's sudden and unexpected; just a touch of the soft, warm lips against his, a brush of fingers on his wrist and heat in the cheeks. Kuroo thinks he's imagining it as for a second all the sound around him is sucked in from somewhere and everything seems blurry, unfocused. He doesn't see it coming. 

It's Kenma forgetting his customer's card and Kuroo handing it to him before he leaves. It's their eyes meeting and Kenma's hand stilling before he lets it slide up to Kuroo's wrist, gently pulling at it as he gets on his tiptoes to let their lips meet, too. 

It's a little smile and a soft whisper of "Thanks" when Kenma finally takes the forgotten card and turns around to leave. 

It's Kenma's burning ears that his hair fails to cover, and it's Kuroo's cheeks of the same lovely shade of red. Kuroo touches his cheek with the back of his palm to feel the warmth and he licks at his lips. He wonders if it's his late birthday present, but then decides Kenma's not the type to do such things. Besides, Kenma's already congratulated him before and didn't kiss him back then. 

"He kissed me," Kuroo says aloud as if he can't trust his thoughts alone, and he turns his head to look at Natsu who is sitting on the counter. She meows at him to show her awareness, but suddenly Kin-chan jumps up on the counter to sit next to Natsu, and her attention is shifted to him. 

Kuroo takes a deep breath and he silently laughs to himself, a smile stretching on his face. 

It might have been different from how Kuroo has imagined their first kiss, but it was nice. 

Kuroo wants to feel it again. 

\- 

Liking Kenma feels a lot like realising for the first time that you have a crush on a certain someone. 

Kuroo's not sure if he sees Kenma in his dreams or it's only an illusion after having thoughts of Kenma fill his head when he closes his eyes at night. He comes up with thousand different ways to bring up the kiss in one of their conversations, to ask Kenma on a real date again. He also creates various scenarios of how he could confess, but sadly, when he wakes up in the morning, it seems more complicated than at night. 

It also feels a bit suffocating as he wants to tell everyone about Kenma, but has to keep it all to himself. 

He wonders if the world has some kind of a rule where the happiness and sadness have to be evened out with each other. There's himself who was kissed by a person he likes, and then there's Bokuto who got deflated right after finally deciding to take a step forward with Akaashi. Kuroo casts a glance at Bokuto, who is sleeping in the seat next to him, then his eyes move to Konoha, who's listening to music in front of him. He's looking through the window, watching the scenery change as they make their way from Tokyo to Nagano. The trip there was Bokuto and Konoha's birthday present to Kuroo, and Kuroo's glad that they will escape Tokyo life for a little while. 

He takes his phone from his jeans pocket and unlocks the screen to check if there aren't any new messages. There's one from his mom, asking if they're already in Nagano, and another one in the group chat of one of his seminars. There's nothing from Kenma though, and Kuroo sighs. 

Maybe Kenma's still sleeping. 

\- 

_[kenma 22:43] >> are you back in Tokyo? How was your trip?_

Kuroo smiles at the message and selects the option for a call. Bokuto went for a shower just a couple of minutes ago and judging from the fact that he turned on the music on his phone speakers, he's going to spend a while there. 

Kenma picks up after two _beep_ s. 

"Hello." 

"Hey," Kuroo says, happy to hear Kenma's voice. He plops down on his bed, letting his back hit the soft mattress. "We just got back. I'm tired. And how are you?" He yawns, and Kenma lets out a soft puff. 

"Go to sleep already," he says. "I'm working on a project for uni. Also tired, I guess." 

Kuroo laughs, rolling on his side and taking the phone from one hand to the other. 

"A new one?" he asks. "Do you think we could meet?" 

"The deadline is on Friday evening." There's a slightly unsatisfied note in his voice that makes Kuroo want to see what expression is on Kenma's face right now. "We work in little groups and we need to come up with characters and draw a story. That includes building up their personalities and explaining which type of character we chose for them and why, actual designs of them, of course, story and drawing itself. We also need to use specific panels, screen tones and such." Kenma takes a deep breath, "I don't think I'll be able to go out without blaming myself for doing it instead of working." 

"Sounds like a bother," Kuroo says with a hum. "You'll probably want to sleep the whole weekend, right?" 

Kenma lets out a silent sound of protest, and Kuroo can imagine him shake his head to the sides. 

"Not really. I'll go to bed early on Friday and I'm all free from Saturday," he says. After a bit of hesitation, he adds, "I'd like to meet you." 

"Well then, will you go on a date with me?" Kuroo asks, fighting a smile. 

"Can I get a kiss if I agree?" Kenma asks instead of answering Kuroo's question. There's a moment of silence when Kuroo repeats the words in his head, making sure he's heard correct. 

"I think we can arrange that," he finally says. Kenma's soft laughter reaches Kuroo's ears, and Kuroo wonders if Kenma's blushing. 

"Okay," Kenma says. "Though I would have agreed any way." 

\- 

It's not much different from their usual hanging out, except that both of them know that technically, it's a date. The weather is nice, so they decide to walk around a bit, stopping at the little shrines when they want to escape the busy streets. There's no one around and it makes it easy to take Kenma's hand, to touch his hair when a strand gets in his face. It makes Kuroo feel like a couple from those romantic animes that Bokuto sometimes ends up watching, but he finds he doesn't mind that. 

They're young, they're still at university where everything seems possible, and Kuroo thinks he wants to enjoy this time. He's never been the lovey-dovey type, but now he understands such couples a bit better than before. He wonders if he too wouldn't hold Kenma's hand all the time if he could, wouldn't shower him with kisses whenever he wants to if it was possible. He looks at Kenma, who's looking at a sculpture at the gate to the shrine, and he thinks that maybe he would. 

Kenma turns around, his eyes moving to Kuroo, and for no specific reason, he smiles. 

This familiar smile makes Kuroo feel warm inside, it makes his heart beat a slightly bit faster when a wave of affection goes through his body. He likes Kenma. He likes him a lot. It hasn't been long since they started going out yet, but there's a sense of belonging that Kuroo wasn't able to feel even in some relationships that lasted longer than this. 

"Kuro?" Kenma asks, coming closer to him, and he reaches for his hair, taking out a fallen leaf that got tangled in it. 

The name rolls from Kenma's tongue easily, like he's well used to it. Until Kenma, Kuroo's never had anyone call him "Kuro" before, but now he likes the sound of it or maybe he simply likes Kenma's voice saying it. 

His mind is clear from any other thoughts and for a second it feels like the world stops. Without any warning, Kuroo wraps his arms around Kenma and pulls him close to himself. 

"I like you a lot," he says, and he means it. Kenma stills in his arms. Then, he lets out a soft, content puff and hugs Kuroo back. 

"I like you a lot as well." 

\- 

Kuroo kisses Kenma a couple of hours later. It's not how he's imagined his second kiss with Kenma, but it feels good and they enjoy it. 

After dinner they end up at a gaming centre and Kenma brings them to some action game that can be played by two. It's a little booth with curtains on both sides of it so that it'd be dim inside. The whole point is to kill the monsters - some kind of zombies - that are attacking you, and escape. They're not really scary, but the game itself seems rather fun. 

Kenma goes past easy and average levels, choosing a hard one. He says that otherwise it's too boring. There's a mischievous glint in his eyes, and Kuroo decides he's not backing off. The game can't be that hard anyway. 

Kuroo fails in thirty four seconds, and Kenma snickers. His eyes don't move away from the screen, and Kuroo thinks he could probably go on forever. Kenma looks concentrated, his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth slightly opened. It's interesting to watch him play to the point of it being distracting when Kuroo himself was playing, and he blames this for his loss. 

"Hey, Kenma?" he says. Kenma hums in reply, and for a mere second he tilts his head, his eyes meeting Kuroo's, but he doesn't fail the game. 

"What is it?" he asks. Kuroo stays silent for a second, and Kenma gives him a short glance once again. Kuroo opens his mouth. 

"Can I kiss you?" he asks, almost in whisper, and for a moment, he thinks Kenma hasn't heard him. 

He has though, as he turns his head again, his eyes meeting Kuroo's. Kuroo doesn't wait for verbal answer and he leans down, his hand moving up to cup Kenma's cheek. 

Kenma's fingers move away from the game and to Kuroo's jacket, pulling him closer. He tilts his head up and he parts his lips, sliding his hands up and wrapping his arms around Kuroo's neck. Kenma's character loses the last points and the game is over. A timer appears on the screen, asking to insert more coins if they want to continue playing, but neither of them pays attention to it. 

There's a lingering taste of apple pie in Kenma's mouth. It's sweet, just like that pie they ate after dinner, but Kuroo enjoys it more. 

"You kissed me in front of the _zombies_ ," Kenma mutters when they part, but he doesn't seem to mind it too much. 

"You kissed me in front of the cats. Sometimes they're still giving me looks because of it," Kuroo replies, raising his eyebrows. Kenma laughs at this, looking at the game screen. 

"We failed the game. And I was so close to the end," he says, but there's no bite in his voice. He turns back to Kuroo, who's smiling at him. 

"Are you complaining?" Kuroo asks, and Kenma shakes his head. 

"Not at all," he says. "I'm just thinking what I will have to do next to make up for it." 

Kuroo hums. 

"You could ask me to go out with you _officially_ ," he suggests and Kenma laughs. 

"In front of the zombies," he says, and Kuroo laughs back at him. 

"The romance," he comments. "So?" he clears his throat, tilting his head to catch Kenma's eyes, "Will you go out with me? Officially." 

Kenma rolls his eyes, letting out a puff, but he's not really succeeding in withholding his smile. 

"Of course," he says, and Kuroo smiles. 

\- 

The lights are already out and the room is drowning in the darkness of the night. It's silent inside, but the strong wind outside is trying to get attention with constant whistling. 

Kuroo takes a deep breath. 

"Hey, Bokuto? Are you sleeping?" 

Bokuto chuckles, and Kuroo hears how he rolls around in his bed. 

"I'm not. We turned off the lights ten seconds ago," he says, his words ending with a lazy hum. "What's up?" he asks, and it feels a lot like Bokuto already knows what Kuroo is about to say. 

Kuroo doesn't reply for a minute, maybe even a few, but he knows Bokuto's waiting; surprisingly, he's always been good at waiting. Kuroo takes another deep breath and slowly lets it all out. 

"A bedtime story," he finally says and he feels a silent laugh coming up his throat. He's been wanting to tell Bokuto everything for a while, and somehow now feels like a perfect chance to do it. Bokuto has already confessed that eventually the things worked out between him and Akaashi, and Kuroo feels like he can finally share everything with Bokuto as well. 

"About what?" Bokuto's voice is slightly higher pitched, and Kuroo can tell his friend is smiling wide from excitement. 

Kuroo brings his arms under his head and closes his eyes, going back to the moment everything has started. He smiles to himself. 

Then, he says, "About stray cats." 

\- 

Kuroo decides that maybe after spending so much time with Bokuto, his friend's bizarre luck has started rubbing off onto him. He doesn't know if him meeting Kenma was really connected to that childish talk with Bokuto about finding someone they would truly love, or it was just a coincidence. It's a bit wondrous though, how both of them found Kenma and Akaashi at almost the same time, how both of them had secrets about it, as if afraid that the spell will break if they tell them to each other. But the spell didn't break. After voicing it out everything became real, undeniable truth, and Kuroo hopes it will stay like this. 

It might be a naive thought, and it's sappy, but Kuroo's always been a bit on the sentimental side. 

He looks at Kin-chan cuddling with Natsu in a basket on the windowsill. The bright lights outside the window speak of the loud evening in the streets, but it's silent here, it's cosy. Kuroo's eyes move away from the cats and to a couch. He smiles. 

Kenma is sleeping there with Momo curled next to him. He dozed off while waiting for Kuroo's shift to end, and Kuroo lets himself watch Kenma's peaceful face for a few seconds before leaning down to press a kiss on the corner of his mouth. 

"I'm finished," he whispers, taking Kenma's hand into this. Kenma yawns, blinking the sleepiness away. He gets up, lazily winding his arms around Kuroo. 

"I've been wanting to do this all day," he says with a little chuckle, and Kuroo laughs, hugging him back. 

Because no one's watching, and no one judging. There are only cats around them, but even they are sleeping, snuggling against each other not to be alone. 

It's funny, but Kuroo also feels a bit like a cat. And he's glad that he doesn't have to be alone either. 

\- 

"So, you really like him, don't you?" Bokuto asks when the two of them go to buy lucky charms for the new year. There's a grin on his face when he hands the money in exchange of two bright red charms. 

"Yeah," Kuroo says, "I do." 

"As much as you love cats?" Bokuto laughs, giving one of the charms to Kuroo when they get away from the crowd. The embroidery on it says _'en-musubi'_ which makes it a good luck charm for love, and Kuroo snorts. He puts it inside his pocket and gives Bokuto a look. Bokuto is grinning at him again, showing the same red charm hang on his fingers. 

Kuroo smiles, then for a moment his eyes travel to Kenma, who's standing with Konoha and the others a bit further away. All of them decided to celebrate the New Years together, and Kuroo still can't believe all of it is really happening. It makes him incredibly happy, and even though Kuroo has never really been truly unhappy, this type of happiness is somehow different, somehow greater. It makes him feel like he, and everyone else, belongs here. 

He looks back at Bokuto and he nods, still smiling. 

"A bit more than that." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading!


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